POS that processes payments but doesn't track stylist commission, retail sales separately from services, or package redemptions -- so the end-of-day reconciliation is manual?
Retail products counted at month-end stocktake because the POS has no inventory tracking -- shrinkage discovered too late?
Salon and Barbershop POS Software Development
Custom POS software for salons, barbershops, and beauty businesses who need transaction processing, commission tracking, and reporting built around how their business actually operates -- not a generic retail POS adapted for a service environment.
Most POS systems process payments. They don't track stylist commission on services and retail separately, manage package redemptions correctly, maintain retail inventory, or give you end-of-day reporting that shows what actually happened rather than just a total takings figure.
Service and retail transactions with commission tracking
Package and prepaid credit purchase and redemption
Inventory tracking for retail products
Daily reporting by stylist, service, and product
RaftLabs builds custom POS software for salons, barbershops, and beauty businesses -- service and retail transactions with stylist attribution, configurable commission rates by stylist and service type, package and prepaid credit purchase and redemption, retail inventory tracking with low-stock alerts, end-of-day reporting by stylist and service, and loyalty integration. A custom POS makes sense when your commission structure, package model, or reconciliation requirements go beyond what generic salon POS platforms handle correctly. Projects typically deliver in 12-14 weeks at a fixed cost.
100+Products shipped
·24+Industries served
·FixedCost delivery
·12-14Week delivery cycles
Salon POS built for commission, packages, and end-of-day reporting that's actually useful
A salon or barbershop has three revenue lines running through the till: service transactions attributed to a specific stylist, retail product sales that may or may not attract commission, and package or prepaid credit redemptions that were paid for at a different point in time. A generic POS treats all of these as the same transaction type, which means the end-of-day report tells you total revenue but not who earned what, how much retail was sold relative to services, or how many package credits were redeemed versus remaining balances.
The reconciliation then happens in a spreadsheet after closing. We build POS systems for salons and barbershops that produce correct end-of-day reports without a manual reconciliation step -- because the transaction data is captured correctly at the point of sale.
What we build
Transaction processing
Service sales with stylist attribution so every transaction links to the stylist who delivered the service -- not just the staff member who processed the payment. Retail product sales in the same transaction as services, with product commission tracked separately from service commission. Multi-tender payment processing -- card, cash, gift card, and prepaid package credit -- in a single transaction without splitting the sale manually. Split payment handling for clients paying partly with a gift card and partly by card. Tipping with tip attribution to the serving stylist and separate tracking in commission calculations. Refund and void processing with manager authorisation and a reason log.
Stylist commission
Configurable commission rates by stylist and by service type -- a senior colourist on a higher percentage than a junior, and retail product commission at a different rate than service commission. Commission calculated automatically on every transaction and accumulated to a stylist's period total. Commission report by stylist showing gross service revenue, gross retail revenue, commission earned on each, deductions for product usage, and net payout figure. Payout calculation for weekly or monthly pay runs exported to payroll without manual spreadsheet work. Performance comparison across the team with average ticket value, retail attach rate, and commission earnings by stylist.
Package and prepaid credit
Package purchase at POS with session allocation or credit amount recorded to the client account immediately on payment. Redemption at checkout with balance check and remaining balance displayed so both the client and the staff member see what's left. Partial redemption handling -- a client with six sessions remaining uses one, balance updates to five without any manual adjustment. Package expiry configuration with expiry date displayed at purchase and reminder sent before expiry. Package sale reporting showing packages sold, redeemed, expired, and outstanding liability on unredeemed balances. Client account balance visible on the transaction screen without navigating away from the sale.
Retail inventory management
Stock level per retail product updated automatically when a product is sold at POS -- no separate stock count required for products sold over the counter. Low-stock alert when a product falls below a configurable minimum, sent to the manager or owner rather than discovered at the next stocktake. Salon-use product recording separate from retail sales -- product used during a service is logged against the job to track usage cost without reducing retail stock. Automatic reorder calculation based on average weekly sales and lead time from the supplier. Supplier purchase order generation from low-stock items with preferred supplier pricing. Shrinkage detection by comparing counted stock at stocktake against system stock based on sales and salon use.
End-of-day reporting
Daily takings summary by payment method -- total card, total cash, total gift card, and total package redemption -- with cash drawer opening balance and closing balance for till reconciliation. Service revenue by stylist showing each stylist's individual contribution to the day's service total. Retail revenue by product and by stylist showing what was sold and who sold it. Void and refund log with reason and authorising staff member recorded for every exception. Package and gift card redemption log showing which clients redeemed and what balance remains. Weekly and monthly trend reports for total revenue, service mix, retail performance, and stylist productivity -- all available without exporting to a spreadsheet.
Loyalty integration
Points earning on service and retail transactions at configurable rates -- services earn at one rate, retail products at another, and double points mechanics applied to specific products or during promotional periods. Tier status displayed on the transaction screen so the staff member can acknowledge a client's tier and any associated benefits at checkout. Redemption at POS with the points balance displayed and a redemption option shown when the client has enough points for a reward. Transaction linked to the client's full loyalty history so points balance, tier status, and redemption history are always accurate. Integration with the appointment booking system so a client's loyalty account is the same record whether they're booking online or paying at the desk.
Frequently asked questions
Commission is configured at two levels: by stylist and by service type or product category. A senior stylist may have a higher base commission rate on services. A specific product category, such as treatment ranges, may attract a higher retail commission to incentivise selling. Every transaction at POS captures the stylist who delivered the service, the services and products sold, and the applicable commission rates. The commission total accumulates across the pay period and generates a payout figure per stylist at the end of the week or month. The commission report shows gross revenue, gross commission, any deductions for product usage costs, and the net figure -- all without a manual calculation step.
Yes. Walk-in transactions are started directly from the POS screen by selecting the stylist and adding services and products. Pre-booked appointments that have been completed appear in the POS queue for the stylist, with the booked services pre-loaded -- the staff member confirms services delivered, adds any retail products, and processes payment. Both transaction types feed the same commission tracking and reporting. If the salon takes a deposit at booking, the deposit is recorded against the appointment and deducted from the balance due at checkout automatically, so the staff member doesn't need to calculate how much is outstanding.
When a client with a package or prepaid credit balance is identified at POS -- either by looking up their account or scanning a loyalty card -- their available balance is displayed on the transaction screen. If the client wants to redeem, the staff member selects redemption and the system deducts the applicable sessions or credit from the balance. The remaining balance is shown immediately. If the purchase exceeds the package value, the outstanding amount is processed as a normal payment. All package movements are logged against the client account so the full redemption history is visible. The outstanding liability across all unredeemed package balances is tracked in the management reporting for financial planning purposes.
End-of-day reconciliation shows total takings by payment method -- card, cash, gift card, and package redemption -- with the expected cash in the drawer based on the opening balance plus cash sales minus cash refunds. The staff member counts the cash, enters the counted amount, and the system flags any variance. Variances are logged with the reporting date and the staff member who closed the till. Service revenue is broken down by stylist so each person's individual performance for the day is visible without a separate calculation. The reconciliation report is available immediately on till close and archived by date for management review. No export to a spreadsheet is required to complete the process.
Tell us your stylist count, commission structure, and the specific reporting or reconciliation challenge you're trying to solve. We'll tell you what we'd build and how.
